Geraldine is a nurse who has suffered
from back problems for over 10 years. In the last 5 years, she
reports, the pain became very severe.

"I kept putting off doing anything about it, but I realized that
if I wanted to continue to work as a nurse, I couldn't put it
off any longer," said Geraldine.

Geraldine's initial appointments at CCSI involved many of the
conservative treatments that she had already tried over the years.
"But that was OK with me because I really appreciated the fact
that they were so thorough and didn't immediately jump to surgery."
As a nurse, Geraldine knew first hand why surgery should be more
of a last resort, not the first line of defense.

Geraldine tried physical therapy and even spinal injections.
"The injections were wonderful, I got a chance to see what it
was like to be pain free." The injections not only helped relieve
her pain, but also were used as a diagnostic tool to help Dr.
Frey get a clear idea of where the problems were.

However, in Geraldine's case it became more and more apparent
that surgery was necessary. She not only had degenerative disc
disease (DDD), but a variety of work related injuries were contributing
to her back pain.

"Dr. Frey and Tom Sanders gave me all the information I needed
to make an informed decision about the surgery. They made sure
I was thoroughly educated about my condition and that I had all
my questions answered before I made the decision to go ahead with
the procedure. They always made me feel like it was my choice
to make. They didn't make the decision, I did." So, Geraldine
underwent a L4-L5 laminectomy, fusion with instrumentation using
the latest interbody fusion techniques.

Geraldine knew that she experienced severe reactions to many
of the medications used during and after surgery. "Dr. Frey worked
with me to make sure I was as comfortable as possible during this
experience. He really listened to my concerns".

The surgery went great. Geraldine was amazed at how good she
felt after the procedure.

Geraldine also felt her post-surgical follow-up was terrific.
"They tell you exactly what you need to do, and I had a very successful
outcome." Today, 1 year later, Geraldine is 80%-90% pain free!
She can work and do many other activities. "In fact, I'm putting
wood floors in my home! Now that's something I could never have
done before going to CCSI."

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